Buttonhole-sewing machine.



No. 858.133. PATLNTED kJUNE 25, 1907. L. B. `ALLEN.

BU'ITONHOLE SEWING MACHINE. APPLIOATION FILED MAR. 17. 190s.

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BUTTONHOLE SEWING MACHINE. y APPLIoATIoN FILED MAB. 17. 190s.

PATENTED JUNE 25, 1907.

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E. B. ALLEN.

BUTTONHOLE SEWING MAGHINB.

APPLICATION FILED AMAR. 17. 1905.

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No. 858,133. PATENTED JUNE'25, 1907. E. B. ALLEN.

BUTTONHOLE SEWING MAGHINE.-

APPLICATION FILED 11,113.17. 190s.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD B. ALLEN, OF ELIZABETH, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGN OR TO THE SINGER MANUFACTURING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

BUTTONHOLE-SEWING MACHINE- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 25, 1907.

Application filed March 17,1905. Serial NO- 250,507.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD B. ALLEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Elizabeth, in the county of Union and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bu'ttonhole-Sewing Machines, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an improvement in buttonhole stitching and barring machines, and more particularly to that class of such machines exemplified in the machine forming the subject of my Serial No. 208,366, filed May 17, 1904.

The invention has for its object to provide a buttonhole machine having feeding mechanism receiving an actuation for each stitch throughout the cycle of operation of the machine with means adjustable for different kinds of buttonholes whereby the extent of actuation of the feeding mechanism may be varied in the production of the sideand barring-stitches, respectively.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the work-holdingclamp receives its longitudinal feeding and lateral shifting movements from a rotary feed-cam deriving its step-by-step movements from an actuating member having uniform reciprocatory movements throughout the cycle of operation of the machine, and intermediate which and the feed-cam is a clutch-dog of suitable character having a yielding connection therewith. An adjustable stop-device is arranged normally adjacent the path of movement of the clutch-dog, and is periodically thrown into such path by means of a suitableconnection with the cam so as to limit the return movement of the clutch-dog after an actuation of the cam and thereby reduce its throw and correspondingly retard the rotation of the cam to enable the barring stitches to be laid more closely together than the sidestitches or one upon the other, depending upon the configuration of the groove in the cam determining the character of feed of the workclamp.

The invention will be understood by reference to the annexed drawings, in which Figure l is a side elevation of a buttonhole sewing machine embodying the said improvements, with a portion of the base broken away to expose the parts within the same,

pending application and Fig. 2 is a bottom plan of the same. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the work-clamp, the feed-cam and the intermediate connections. Fig. 4 is a plan, upon an enlarged scale, of the forward portion of the bracket-arm of the machine with the cover-plate for the casing of the barring mechanism removed, Fig.' 5 is a plan of a portion of the bracket-arm with the said cover in place, and Fig. 6 is a transverse section of the bracket arm taken through the axial line of the feed-cam shaft. Fig. 7 is an elevation representing a portion of the actuating device for the feed-cam, and Figs. 8 and 9 are, respectively, a bottom plan and a side elevational view of the feed-cam and means for controlling the operation of the same. Fig. 10 is a detail bottom plan f view representing the feed-cam and its actu'- ating means and omitting the controlling device for varying the action of the clutchdogs, and Fig. 1l is a partial sectional view of the feed-cam and its4 actuating means.

In Figs. l to 4 inclusive, the several parts of the machine are represented as occupying the positions they would take just subsequent' to a barring operation and immediately before the tripping of the sto J-motion mechanism, while in Figs. 5 an mechanism is represented as occupying the positions they would take just before a barring operation..

The machine is shown provided with a base l upon which rests the work-plate 2, with bracket-arm 3 in which is journaled the main or driving shaft 4 having the usual connections with the needle-bar 5 carrying the needle 6. The needle-bar frame 7 receives its lateral motions through the link 8, vibrating arm 9 and laterally moving link-bar l0 deriving its movements by alternate engagement of lateral notches in its opposite. edges with the pins l1 and l2 carried by the bellcrank member 13 which receives its rocking motions from the rotating cam-wheel 14 having the usual two-to-one gear connections with the main shaft. The link-bar l0 is normally held in initial side-stitching position with its lateral notch in engagement with the pin 11 by means of the spring l5 and is adapted to be periodically drawn out of engagement with .the pin l1 and to embrace the pin 12 with the lateral notch in its opposite edge by means of the pawl-lever 16 carried by one end of the spring-pressed 6 the barring shift-leverl? whose opposite end is engaged by the double-snail-shaped timing cam 18 fixed upon the feed-cam shaft 19,' the pawllever 16 being pressed laterally toward a stud 21 upon the link-bar 10 by means of a coilspring 20, so that when moved inwardly by the tilting of the lever 17 under the action of the cam 18 it is permitted to snap over the stud 21 and under the action of the spring 22 at the upper end of the lever 17 when the lower end of the latter rides ori one of the shoulders of the cam 18 to draw the link-bar into operativerelation with the pin 12 whose increased leverage upon the lateral arm of the rocker 13 over that ol the pin 11. causes the link-bar 1U and connected needle-bar frame 7 to receive an increased throw tor the pro duction of the long barring-stitches at each end of the buttonhole.

The release of the link-bar 10 for return to normal engagement with the pin 1 1 is effected by the partial rotation of the ratchet-wheel 23 under the coperative action or' the springpressed actuating pawl 24 carried by the rocker 13 and the holding pawl 25, which are permitted to engage the peripheral teeth ci the ratchet-wheel by the release of the tail of the operating pawl from engagement with the edge of the link-bar when shifted into barring position; the adjustable stud 26 carried by the ratchet-wheel and extending upwardly -through a slot 27 in the cover-plate 28 of the casing surrounding the barring mechanism being brought into engagement with one arm of a bent-lever 29 whose other arm has a depending lug 30 which is caused to engage a linger 3 1 carried by the pawl-lever 16 for shifting the latter to release the stud 21, the link-bar 10 thereby returning to engagement with the tail of the actuating pawl 24 and throwing the same with the holding pawl 25 out of engagement with the ratchetwheel which is permitted to return to initial position with a peripheral shoulder in engagement with the stop-pin 32 under the action of a coil-spring 33. It is evident that by shifting the pointer-arm 32X carrying the stop-pin 32, the initial position of the ratchetwheel 23 may be varied to determine the number of barring stitches which may be produced before the engagement of the stud 26 with the bent-lever 29 to effect the release of the stud 21 by the pawl-lever 16 for restoration of the link-bar 10 to initial sidestitching position.

The feed-cam 34 is iixed upon thelower end of the shaft 19 and has in its upper face a groove 35 entered by a roller-stud 36 carried by one arm of a bell-crank lever 37 of which the other slotted arm is provided with an adjustable pivotal connection 38 with a link 39 whose opposite end is pivotally connected by a pin 40 with the work-clamp base-plate 41 mounted in a longitudinal slide-way in the work-shifting slide-plate 42 fitted within a transverse slide-way in the bed-plate 2 and having a pivotal connection 43 with one end of a lever 44 having a ulcrum 45 and provided at its opposite end with a roller-stud 46 entering a groove 47 in the feed-cam. The slotted longitudinally extending portion of the lwork-clamp base-plate 41 forms the lower member of the Work-clamp whose upper member consists of the foot-piece 48 carried by the spring-pressed clamping arms 49.

The actuating device for the feed-dog comprises a vibrating arm 50 mounted concentrically with the feed-wheel shaft 19 beneath the feed-wheel and lprovided with a hub having peripheral notches 52 engaged by the inner ends of the clutch-dogs 51 whose outer ends are transversely notched to embrace a depending annular flange 53 upon the feedwheel, such dogs being pressed normally toward their respective notches in the hub of the arm 50 by means of 'flat springs 54. The main-shaft 4 is provided with a feed-actuating eccentric 55 embraced by a strap 56 at the upper end of a rod 57 whose lower end is connected by means oi" a pivotal pin 58 with one arm of a rocker 59 suitably mounted beneath the bed-plate and provided with another arm having a ball-joint 60 with one end of a pitman rod 61 whose other end is adjustably connected with the grooved actuating arm 50 by means of a pin 62.

As will be readily understood, the feedcam actuating arm 50 derives from the mainshatt of the machine vibrating movements which are uniform throughout the cycle of operation of the machine, and hence is calculated to give to the feed-cam, through the alternating cramping and releasing actions of the dogs 51 uniform step-by-step movements. in order to retard or partially arrest the movement of the feed-cam during the period that the barring stitches are being produced by the stitch-forming mechanism, a lever-plate 64 is pivotally mounted beneath the supporting plate 63 of the feeddogs the outer extremities 65 of which leverplate laterally engage depending pins 66 upon the clutch-dogs, while a lateral horn 67 at one end of such lever-plate lies in the path ot movement of a stop-screw 68 mounted in one arm of a bell-crank-lever 69 pivoted by means of a fulcrum screw 7 0 to a suitable boss upon the lower side of the bed-plate and having its other arm provided with an adjustable nose-piece 71 secured thereon by a fastening screw 72 and normally resting in contact with the periphery ot the feed cam, which is provided with two cam projections 73 operating to periodically tilt the bellcrank-lever 69 to throw its stop-screw 68 into position for engagement with the horn 67 of' the lever-plate 64 so as to arrest the return to initial position of the same and the 'feed-dogs 51 under the action of their returning springs 54 after a 'feeding movement.

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, The. lever-plate 6 4 ,with .its-horn 67 thus tion of the machine.

tonhole, and it is obvious that the adjustment of the stop-screw 68 in its carrying bellcranli-lever 69 will determine the amount of lost motion which will exist between the clutch-dogs 5l and their uniformly vibrating actuating arm 50; but by the provision of a suitable range of adjustment of the stopscrew and of its projecting cam-portions 73, the effective movement of the cam-dogs during the barring operation may be made so slight as to impart to the cam an inappreciable movement in performing its normal function of shifting the work-clamp, whereby the concentric portions 35X of the camgroove are rendered unessential.

While I have" shown inthe drawings annexed a pair of feed-dogs 5l adapted to engage diametrically opposite portions of the annular flange 53 of the feed-cam, it is obvious that the number of feed-dogs employed is immaterial to the principle of operation of the feed-cam arresting or retarding device.

As will be readily understood, the object of providing the screw-and-slot attachment of the nose-piece 7l to the longer arm of the controlling lever 69 of the stop-device is to provide an accurate adjustment to exactly harmonize the timing of the mechanism for varying the lateral throw of the needle with the changes of motion of the feedcam.

From the foregoing description, it will be evident that the present improvement is not limited to embodiment in the particular type of buttonhole stitching machine herein shown and described, and that its several constructive features may be varied to a considerable extent without departure from the scope of the present invention.

Having thus set forth the nature of the in vention, what I claim herein, is,-

1. In a buttonhole sewing machine, the combination with stitch-forming mechanism, a non-rotatable work-holder movable longitudinally in respect of the stitch-forming mechanism, feeding mechanism including a continuously-rotating cam for imparting to said work-holder longitudinal feeding movements alternately in opposite directions to space the side-stitc'hes,f` and means for effecting a relative lateral shifting movement of the work-holder and stitch-.forming mechanism at the end of each longitudinal feeding movement, of actuating means, including a feed-dog, acting throughout the cycle of operation of the machine inV imparting to said feed-cam its movements, and means controlled by said feed-cam and independently of its connections with said work-clamp for reducing the extent of effective movement of said feed-dog upon said feed-cam in the stitching of the ends of a buttonhole.

2. In a buttonhole sewing machine, the combination with stitchforming mechanism, a non-rotatable work-holder movable longitudinally in respect of the stitch-forming mechanism, feeding mechanism, including a continuously-rotating cam having a fixed bar-controlling portion for imparting to said work-holder longitudinal feeding movements alternately in opposite directions to space the side-stitches, and means for effecting a relative lateral shiftingmovement of the work-holder and stitch-forming mechanism at the end of each longitudinal feeding movement, of actuating means active throughout the cycle of operation of the machine for imparting to said feed-cam its movements, and a normally stationary shifting stop arranged for engagement by the barcontrolling portion of said cam and adapted to be thrown thereby into and out of the path of movement of the actuating means for the feed-cam.

3. In a buttonhole sewing machine, the combination with stitch-forming mechanism,

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of a feed-cam, actuating means therefor comprising a uniformly vibrating actuating arm pivoted concentrically therewith and a feeddog in operative relation with said actuating arm and adapted to operatively engage said cam, a peripheral cam-projection carried by said feed-cam, a vibrating controlling lever having one arm in the path of movement of said cam projection and another arm affording a movable stop for determining the extent of movement of said feed-dog.

4. In a buttonhole sewing machine, the combination with stitch-forming mechanism, of a feed-cam, actuating means therefor comprising a uniformly vibrating concentricallypivoted actuating .arm and a feed-dog in operative relation with said actuating arm and adapted to operatively engage said cam, a peripheral cam-projection carried by said feed-cam, a vibrating controlling lever having one arm in the path of movement of said cam projection and another arm provided with an adjustable stop-screw or projection, and a detent member between Said'feed-dog and said stop-screw or projection, whereby the extent of movement of said feed-dog is` determined.

5. In a buttonhole sewing machine, the

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combination with stitch-forming mechanism, of a feed-cam, actuating means therefor comprising a uniformly vibrating concentricallypivoted actuating arm and a feed-dog in operative relation with said actuating arm and adapted to operatively engage said cam, a peripheral cam-projection carried by said feed-cam, a vibrating controlling lever having one arm provided with a longitudinally adjustable noseiece and lying in the path of movement o said cam-projection and another arm affording a movable stop for determining the extent of movement of said feed-dog.

6. In a buttonhole sewing machine, the combination with stitch-forming mechanism, of a feed-cam, actuating means therefor comprising a uniformly vibrating concentricallypivoted actuating arm and a pair of feeddogs in operative relation with said actuating arm and adapted to operatively engage said cam, studs projecting from said feed-dogs, a lever-plate having two arms each of which is adapted to engage one of said studs, and having also a projecting horn, cam-projections upon said feed-cam, a controlling lever having one arm disposed in the path of movement of said cam projections and a second arm in the line of movement of the horn of said lever plate, and an adjustable stop-screw or projection carried by the second arm of said controlling lever and adapted to engage the horn of said lever-plate.

7. In a buttonhole sewing machine, the combination with the main-shaft and stitchforming mechanism operatively connected therewith and actuated thereby, a non-rotatable work-holder movable longitudinally in respect of the stitch-forming mechanism, and feeding mechanism including a continuously rotating cam for imparting to said Work-holder longitudinal feeding movements alternately in opposite directions to space the' side-stitches and having means for pro ducing relative lateral shifting movements of the work-holder in respect of the stitchforming mechanism at the end of each longitudinal feeding movement, of actuating means operatively connected with said mainshaft for producing the step-by-step rotary movement of said cam, and including two independent adjusting devices for controlling the operation of said cam of which one is controlled directly by said cam and the other is controlled independently thereof.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

EDIVARD B. ALLEN.

Witnesses:

ALFRED C. DAELING, HENRY J. MILLER. 

